A Night in the Storm
by The Bunny and the Bear
Summary: With a thunderstorm outside, Ludwig and Feliciano stay safely inside. But the storm weighs heavily on Feliciano's heart. #3 in the Tangled Red String series


**Thunder and Waves**

_by the Bunny and the Bear_

* * *

A simple trip they said, get away from their problems they said, Ludwig nearly growled in annoyance as he paced the tiny two room cabin he and Feliciano had been tricked into staying in that weekend. Kiku had cancelled coming at the last second claiming national crisis, and so it had been left to the blond German and brunette Italian to carry on and enjoy the supposedly relaxing weekend.

What no one had counted on, or even bothered to look at was the weather forecast. And now here they were, several miles from any sort of civilization in the middle of what was shaping up to be the worst thunderstorm in the history of thunderstorms.

Normally Ludwig would be fine with a thunderstorm, normally he would love to listen to the howling wind and driving rain accented by the crashing of thunder. This time though he was growing increasingly annoyed with the brunette who sat curled in on himself rocking back and forth, whimpering each time the sounds outside intensified.

"Feliciano!" Ludwig finally stopped pacing to stare, hands on his hips at the pitiful Italian, "For heaven's sake you got to calm down! This is only a little storm."

"B-bbut it's loud and scary..." The little man tries to stop shaking but a fresh clap of thunder makes him screech louder.

The German throws his hands up in exasperation and turns to face the small kitchen, "Loud yes, scary? No." He carefully selects a pair of potatoes and begins cleaning them in an attempt to ignore his Italian counterpart who flings himself at Ludwig and clutches the blond's broad shoulders desperately.

"But Luddy! It is scary!"

The sudden weight unbalances Ludwig and he flails a bit before regaining his footing, "Feli, you have to stop doing that!"

"But..."

"_NO_ buts!" Ludwig dislodges Feliciano and turns to pick the smaller man up and bodily forces him onto the bed, "Now sit and stay!"

Feli pouts but reluctantly stays put as Ludwig turns his attention back the potatoes then sighs. "Feli, you'll be alright, if you would like I could sing my national anthem to you."

"No thank you." Feli mutters and curls up into a ball still pouting.

"Fine, just don't pout, it is unmanly." Ludwig gets no response as he pops the potatoes in the oven once they're evenly coated in butter and salt, "You know what you need?"

"Hmm?" the brunette remains curled.

"A good pair of earplugs and a freshly warmed blanket." After a moments consideration Ludwig continues, "Unfortunately we have nothing that would serve as ear plugs..."

"I don't want that." Feli's reply is blunter than normal, and Ludwig's sigh is a deep one.

"Well what do you want my whiny friend?"

Feli's response is an incoherent mutter so Ludwig is forced to move closer and lean down over the Italian. "What did you say?"

"...you..."

Ludwig is fairly certain his cheeks take on a light pink hue as he realizes what Feli said, "Oh..." He sits gingerly to one side of the curled up Feli.

"Feli...would...would you be better if I...ahem...hugged you?"

When Feliciano responded with a small nod of confirmation Ludwig moved his hands under the lithe man's side, gently pulling him up into a warm embrace.

"Better?" Ludwig's voice is softer than normal as he tries to relax and allow Feli to snuggle in close, the brunette's head nestled between Ludwig's shoulder and face.

"Don't leave me..." The half whisper stills Ludwig's restless thoughts.

"Alright my friend, I'll stay right here...do you want me to talk to you to pass the time?"

"Mmhmm..." Feli nods slightly.

"Well... Have I ever told you about the time I made, or rather, tried to make a boat?" He takes a deep breath, "Well, I was younger, and very hardheaded. I decided to build my own canoe, so I bought the tools and wood from a small general store just down the road from my residence. While I was there the old man who ran the store tried to give me some instructions on how to make it, but I wanted to make my own design. I brushed off his advice and went on my way."

Ludwig ran a hand down Feli's arm, rubbing it absently, the small action encouraging Feliciano to loosen up as he listens intently to the story.

"I worked day and night on my 'masterpiece' as I called it, the canoe would be an accomplishment all of my own hands. I was so proud of myself when I finished, I had polished it's hull till it gleamed in the light. The ends were perfectly pointed to cut through the water, the seat smoothed, and it was light enough I could easily carry it alone." Ludwig moves his hand back up Feli's arm and into the man's hair, tousling it as he spoke.

"I hadn't sat in it yet, I wished to save that honor for the maiden voyage..." Feliciano leaned into the soft touches, "I finished it on a fine summer day, decided that I would take it out that afternoon. The general store where I had gotten my supplies was right across from a nice little lake, the perfect place to test it." Ludwig lowered his head to rest it on his counterparts head as he spoke.

"I sat it in the water and it floated perfectly, weighted just enough so it didn't tip, but light enough to skim effortlessly over the water. I was so eager to test it, I climbed in and with minimal trouble pushed off. I had been on the water for five amazing minutes before I noticed my feet were wet. I looked down and I looked down horrified to find water seeping through a crack in the hull.

Then I realized I was starting to ride lower in the water, I made the mistake of leaning over to look at the crack closer and the floor gave way."

Feliciano frowned as Ludwig took a shuddering breath, "In my foolishness I had weakened the bottom by over buffing the bottom and sides, that combined with my considerable weight was more than the wood could handle. I went down hard and fast, I remember the water was cold, colder than I had expected and I remember thinking I wouldn't make it out." Ludwig paused for a breath.

"What happened?" Feli murmured.

"That damned old man that had tried to give me advice hauled me out of the water and onto his boat, he was laughing the entire time. Apparently he had been watching since I had made it to the water, told me he hadn't figured I would make it too far in that poor little boat."

Feliciano laughed softly, "I'm glad you didn't get hurt."

"My pride was all that was truly damaged." Ludwig rolled shoulder to make himself more comfortable.

"Did you try again?"

"I did, but I asked the old man for his guidance on the matter."

"That's good, I like boats." Feliciano smiled sadly as he snuggled closer, only when the kitchen timer shrieks do they separate so Ludwig can finish their dinner.

"I better get the wurst going..." Ludwig gently untangled himself and stepped back into the small kitchen area. Once the wurst was safely sizzling in the skillet Ludwig turned to see Feliciano sitting cross legged on the bed.

"Boats are life..." Feliciano's soft words escape Ludwig's hearing as he turns back to pull the potatoes out.

As the German bent to pull the potatoes out and the potholder he had in his right hand slipped, "SON OF A-"

Feliciano moved quickly off the bed to his friend's aid, grabbing Ludwig's injured hand after the blond sat the pan down on the stove. He then guided Ludwig to the sink and turned it on cool.

"Put it under there." Feli instructed firmly, "And hold it there." He added as Ludwig hissed once the water hit it, nearly yanking it out.

The brunette grabbed a clean dish cloth from the cabinet and soaked it, "Hold still," he twisted the rag and pulled Ludwig's hand to him, "I'll wrap it with this for now, but we might need to bandage it later." He finished wrapping the wet rag around the burn then grabbed a dry towel and wrapped that around in a makeshift bandage.

"Danke Feli..." Ludwig smiled softly at his unusually serious friend, and was treated to an equally kind smile.

"It's no problem, it's amazing what water can do." A few seconds of awkward silence filter past as Feli's smile falters.

"I uh... I should finish preparing our meal if you think its alright." Ludwig shifted nervously as Feli looked up somberly.

"If you're okay, I mean, your hand..."

Ludwig looked down at his wrapped up hand and back up at Feli with a wink, "Have I ever mentioned how good I am one-handed?"

Feliciano's face flushed bright pink and Ludwig came to his defense, "Not like that! I meant..." Even the tips of the blond's ears turned bright red in embarrassment as his careless implication sunk in.

Turning to the side Ludwig managed to get the wurst out of the skillet before it burned, with a cough to clear his throat, "Here we go, a nice simple meal of wurst and potatoes."

"Thank you." Feli takes his plate but nearly drops it when a crash of thunder and a fresh wave of rain pound the roof.

"This storm is...rather loud eh Feli?" Ludwig sat at the little table with his plate and tried to console his friend into relaxing.

"Yeah..." Feli paused, "It isn't the thunder or lightening that scares me." His voice is low, barely audible over the storm.

"Huh?" Ludwig had a bite of wurst halfway to his mouth as he looks at his friend questioningly.

Feli frowns and pushes his potato around a bit before responding, "It's not the thunder or the lightening." He repeats.

"What do you mean?" Ludwig's brow crinkled in confusion.

"It's the water."

"The...water?" Ludwig tilts his head as he repeats Feliciano's statement.

"The water is amazing, it can bring so much life but it also brings death. When I hear it rain my heart hurts. I can feel it being weighed down with water."

Ludwig thought for a moment, "So, it brings back memories of drowning?"

"No." Feliciano shook his head negatively, "I am drowning."

"Huh? How?"

The brunette simply smiled sadly and asked, "Ludwig, what is my capital?"

"Rome?" Ludwig's expression gives away that he's guessing and Feliciano sighed heavily.

"No, that isn't my capital, it's fratello's. His name literally means 'One of Rome' My capital is somplace else, it's in my true name Veneziano. 'One of Venice' Now do you understand where my heart is?"

Shame and realization flit across Ludwig's face as he apologized profusely, "I'm sorry Feli, I didn't mean-" His stuttering apology is cut off by Feliciano's bitter laughter.

"It's okay, that's one of the reasons fratello gets so mad, everyone thinks I got Nano's inheritance but I didn't." Feli set his plate to the side completely discarding his barely touched meal.

"When you say you're drowning, you mean Venice, your heart, is sinking... I'm so sorry Feli..."

"Don't be, it was built on the sea, and the sea is a terribly jealous mistress that has been trying to take me for years." His voice lowered and his eyes darkened as he spoke.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Ludwig almost reached out to touch Feli's shoulder but stopped himself, uncertain if he should.

"I don't know, we've tried repairing the foundations and moving the water, but so much has already been lost already. I'm fighting a losing battle, nothing is stronger than the sea." Feli shrugged despondently as he came to terms with his fate once again.

"I would do anything, devote every resource I have to save you Feliciano. I mean it, anything you need my friend." Ludwig stood and set their plates to the side before joining the brunette on the bed once more. Once Ludwig had settled back onto the bed Feli flung his arms around the blond in a tight embrace.

"Grazie di cuore Ludwig, but all I can ask of you is that you stay with me. I don't want to be left alone..." Seeing his friend's distress at the prospect of losing him Feli added quickly, "I won't die entirely, only a small part inside me will fade away."

Ludwig held his friend closer and murmured into his hair, "I won't ever leave you."

"Grazie," Feli nuzzled into the embrace reassured by the strong arms around him, "I am glad you are with me... I don't want to be left behind again." His voice is lowered as memories washed over him like the waves that ravaged his heart. "Non possi vivere senza te..."

"What?" Ludwig frowned as the unfamiliar language was muttered against him.

The small smile that graced Feliciano's face was tender, "It means I can't live without you. Ludwig, after meeting you somehow you filled a hole in my heart that I thought would remain empty until the day I faded away."

"I...I didn't realize I had affected you that way..." Ludwig's surprise was evident in his slackened hold around Feliciano who pulled back slightly to look his friend in the eye.

"You have, more than you know Ludwig. At first I thought it was simply because you reminded me of my first love, but you are different than him. You are far more mature, and you never leave me or run from me."

With a laugh Ludwig ruffled Feliciano's hair, "No dumnkompf, I just drag your white flag waving butt out of trouble when I decide to leave. I'm more than happy to call you friend."

"I remember the first time I called you that!" Feli smiled happily.

"I do too." Ludwig's smile mirrored Feliciano's, "I was so surprised that anyone would ever be willing to call me that."

"I'm honored to call you friend." Feliciano squeezed his eyes shut happily and the two sat intertwined in comfortable silence for a moment before Ludwig crushed Feli again in a tight hug.

"Feli..." His voice low and rough with emotion that Feli can't identify.

"Hmm?" The brunette wiggled a little so he could see his friend's face.

"I don't think I've ever met a stronger friend as far as courage goes.

"Ve?" Blue eyes met gold, in one hidden emotion swirled, the other curiousity, "What do you mean?"

"You've kept the pain of losing your heart little by little to yourself for so long..."

"Ah," Feli sighed, "I think many who have lived as long as myself have these problems eventually. You know I'm over 1500 years old?"

"Of course, storms come and go, but our friendship will last for as long as I walk this earth." Ludwig blinks slowly and gets lost in his thoughts as he ran his right hand through Feli's hair again, "Huh... I just realized something..."

"What?" Feli tilted his head curious to know what his serious friend was thinking.

"I think you're the only person I've ever really hugged."

Feli's voice is high as he voices his surprise, "Ve? What about your brothers?"

"We...weren't exactly a touchy-feely family." Ludwig shrugged as he spoke.

"That's terrible!" Ludwig winced at Feli's high pitched protest.

"I suppose so, I've never really thought of it like that..."

"Your family is strange." Feli's voice lowered back to a normal range much to Ludwig's relief.

"I thought the same of yours." Ludwig chuckled as he wrapped his arm back around Feli who snuggled in close again.

"Ve? My family isn't that strange, besides, there's only four of us."

"Mein friend, you are the strangest I've ever met, but you are also by far the kindest." Ludwig ran his knuckles over Feli's back as he adjusted his hold once again.

The smaller man blushed fiercely and ducked his head down into Ludwig's chest as the blond tried to explain himself, "I mean, its true, you make food for me, insist I rest when I try to overwork, you've stayed my friend despite my extreme bluntness, and you never try to act like someone you aren't."

"What else am I supposed to be?" Feli muttered as Ludwig hesitantly kissed the top of the brunette's head.

"You're nice too Luddy," Feli relaxed as he spoke, "You take care of me even though you don't have to, and you never act like anyone else either."

A long moment passed before Ludwig replied, "You...think I'm nice?"

Feliciano untangled himself from Ludwig's arms and turned to fully face the German before speaking again, "Well, you can be scary sometimes Luddy but you have a really soft side that I lo- think is great."

Blushing bright red Ludwig barely managed to stutter out, "Da-danke Mausi..."

With a small smile the Italian kissed his friend gently on the cheek before tucking his legs up under him and placing a hand on Ludwig's chest, the other behind Ludwig as he leaned closer and Ludwig wrapped his arms around the smaller man.

"It seems to have been a good thing we got stuck out here my friend." Ludwig spoke quietly as he considered something that had been tempting him for some time as Feliciano hummed enjoying the closeness between the two.

After a long moment of quiet, accented only by the slowly dying thunderstorm Ludwig leaned forward and gently placed a feather light kiss to Feli's lips before pulling away abruptly embarrassed as his friend's eyes snapped open in surprise.

A wide smile spread across the Italian's face as he gave Ludwig a questioning look, "Ludwig?"

"I...um...well you said friends kiss sometimes?" He fiddled with the hem of Feli's sleeve nervously avoiding his small friend's intense gaze.

"What if I don't want to be friends?"

Sheer panic flashed across Ludwig's face and he froze, "Huh?"

"What if I want to try something else?"

"Like a...a...romantic relationship?"

"If that's what you'd like, I do feel strongly for you, and I want us to be best friends no matter what relationship we may have, romantic or otherwise."

The blush that spread across Ludwig's face and down his neck could only be called tomato red, "I- I think I'd like that Feliciano..." He looked down embarrassed to his core.

"Ludwig."

The blond doesn't raise his head but he does respond to the insistent Italian with a simple, "Ja?"

"Look at me." Feli's voice was commanding, but soft. When Ludwig complied and raised his head Feli chastely kissed his companion on the lips before pulling back just enough to utter, "Ich liebe dich."

"Ich liebe dich mein mausi." Ludwig kissed Feli back just as gently, his voice a low rumble. Ludwig then let go of Feli after sneaking another small kiss and flopped ungracefully backwards with a lazy grin, "What now? Is there anything you want Feli?"

"Can we just cuddle for a bit?"

Ludwig opened his arms, "Of course, anything for you mausi." Feli climbed fully onto Ludwig's lap and snuggled up onto the bigger man's chest, concerned when the German let out an unmanly squeak.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" He lifted his head concerned, only to have his fears allayed by Ludwig shaking his head.

"No, just unprepared was all, I'm not really used to all this...closeness... But it is nice." He smiled faintly as he wrapped an arm around Feli again.

"Mmh, I like being close to you, especially when you don't push me away."

With a soft sigh Ludwig made a request, "Just don't tell anyone I like to cuddle, it would ruin my reputation."

Feli couldn't help but laugh and the sound reverberated through both of them, "Don't worry Luddy, your secret is safe with me."

"Danke..." Ludwig ran a free hand through Feli's hair absently and he felt sleep beginning to tug at him, "I think...perhaps sleep would be a good idea."

"Mmmh, want me to move so we can get under the blankets?"

"Ja...would be a good idea." Sluggishly they untangled, Feli getting up and padding over to the light switch as Ludwig pulled the blankets back and fluffed the pillows.

"Lights out~" Feli flicked out the lights and crawled back over to the bed where Ludwig promptly pulled him down into a comfortable embrace for both of them.

"Goodnight Feli."

"Goodnight Ludwig."

* * *

**A/N: we sincerely hope you enjoyed this fluffy piece, please review with thoughts, comments, and criticism. -the Bear **


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